Arachnaphobia
by Akiko Manami
Summary: Based on a crossover idea between Ranma 1/2 and FFX in which Braska, Jecht, and Auron have curses. Braska must face his worst fear.


ARACHNAPHOBIA  
  
~by Chibi phantom (and akiko manami)~  
  
What you need to know: This is taking place around the center of Braska's pilgramige, but it is also crossing over with Braska 1/2. They have their curses, and Braska actually spends most of his time as a girl in this story.  
  
~Braska has arachnaphobia REALLY badly. Even the MENTION of the word "spider" freezes him dead in his tracks. Because of the curses, the Pilgrammige has been temporarily suspended by the High Priest, who sent out another summoner to begin it in case they have to stop it completely. To pass the time, and earn a little more gil, Our favorite Trio has taken up jobs as Ruin Explorers, and are exploring an old temple just recently discovered.~  
  
Auron surveyed the land surounding him. It was a rather large temple, that had been destroyed in the Bevelle-Zanarkand wars, a thousand years ago. Surprisingly, it was in pretty good shape for being so old. There were new fiends in here, with levels never before achieved by fiends, so Auron found this the perfect oppurtunity to train. Braska was studying some old markings on the wall a few feet away, and Jecht was just wandering around, seemingly mindlessly. Suddenly there was a loud splash, and an outraged shout from Braska...A now FEMALE Braska, whom Jecht had incurred the wrath of yet again, by splashing him. Auron rolled his eyes. Braska was a completely different person in his cursed form...And was proving it by murderously chasing Jecht around with his own sword with the intent to kill. They had no way to make a fire, so Braska was stuck that way for a while. Not that Auron minded. His own personal secret was he found Braska quite alluring in his female form, with her firey temper, and graceful curves. Her hair was longer in that form, the beautiful azure locks falling nearly to her knees. Braska decided Jecht could be killed later, and pulled her hair into a ponytail, and adjusted her pants, and the tight shirt.  
  
Braska had long since abandoned the robes in favor of something along Auron's style, actually going so far as to mimic it with black pants, and boots, with a dark blue muscle shirt and a light blue okinawan. The only thing missing from Braska was something Auron was never seen without: A tokkuri. Instead, Braska created a sort of sheathe for his...her staff, instead of having to carry it everywhere. Braska-chan took off the wet okinawan, and wrung it out, and Auron took the time to 'check her out'. Of course, he wouldn't admit it, not even to himself. He was observing his summoner to see where she needed to improve, that was all.  
  
Yeah, right. Keep telling yourself that, Auron. You just KEEP on telling yourself that. An unwanted, and usually forgotten part of his mind spoke up, but he quelled it before it could do much.  
  
The petite summoner was still wringing out her okinawan, scowling and muttering darkly to herself. Jecht had wisely made himself scarce, and Auron noticed how the usually loose fitting muscle shirt clung to her hour- glass shape, and hugged her shapely breasts. Much to his self-chagrine, Auron found his gaze lingering over her breasts, and he blushed inspite of himself. The pants, which would normally be on his waist, snugly, were loosely hanging onto her hips by the barest thread. Auron mused about how she kept them up, especially since she spent most of her time chasing Jecht around. While he was looking at her hips, he allowed his gaze to swing around to her butt, which, he noticed, was as round and well-shaped as the rest of her. The evidence of her strength was not readily apparent, for while she was in her male form, her robes had hidden most of her body, and when she was in her female form, the okinawan served the same purpose. So Auron rarely saw just how compact and muscular she really was, but he could see it now. Her arms fairly ripped with it, though it was unnoticable unless you were giving it a really close scrutiny. He was sure that her stomach was taut and as hard as a rock, if she'd ever show it off. Finally, she looked up, aware that she was being watched. She met his gaze, clear blue-green eyes meeting russet red ones without the faintest hint of her earlier anger.  
  
"What's wrong, Auron?" She asked, her voice musical. He shook his head.  
  
"Nothing. What are we here for again?"  
  
She seemed to be thinking this over, and was about to reply when an excited Jecht propelled himself into the room at top speed.  
  
"You guys GOTTA come see this! Braska-chan, its in that funny language you were trying to figure out at the old Macalania temple! Come ON!" He jetted away again, and Braska and Auron followed closely. Auron watched Braska run, and was glad he was behind her. She absolutely REFUSED to wear a bra...  
  
By the time they caught up with the wayward guardian, he was already there, and jumping up and down excitedly, pointing something out. Braska slowed to a jog, and then a walk, and looked at what he was pointing out.  
  
  
  
    
  
Braska fell to translating it with a passion. "This........it...no, is...............the lai...r...............of.....the.......Something...Something....it is a .....something......something....DAMN!"  
  
"Can't read it?" Jecht asked, wisely keeping in a smart remark.  
  
"No...It's so strange, I've never seen anything like it before....D'you hear that...?"  
  
"Hear what?" Both Guardians responded at the same time.  
  
"Apparently not...Jecht, gimme your sword...I'll be right back."  
  
"You want I shoudl go with you?" Auron volunteered. Braska shook her head, stray strands of hair falling in front of her shoulder.  
  
"You and Jecht see if you can find any more of those writings. I'll be right back." The two men watched the formerly male summoner saunter off with a sway to her hips that seemed completely natural...But it gave the two guardians impure thoughts nonetheless. Jecht gave it voice for the both of them.  
  
"Damn, she's hot..."  
  
Auron could only nod in agreement.  
  
Braska entered the off-chamber warily. One to many encounters with fiends gave her enough knowledge to know that it was either nothing, or something really bad. She prayed and hoped to Yevon that it was nothing.  
  
Yevon, it seemed, wasn't listening.  
  
A giant, eight legged dragon, with eight beady eyes, and fangs literally dripping with venom that scorched the ground came out of a hole in the wall. Rational thought deserted the summoner, as instinctive, primal fear took over. She screamed.  
  
Auron and Jecht had begun walking back to the entrance when the scream, interlaced with total fear, echoed through the abandoned temple ruins.  
  
"BRASKA!" They both took off running, Auron pulling into the lead by scant centimeters.  
  
The fiend pulled its hind end under its legs, and shot stream after stream of soft, yet sticky thread onto the frozen girl. She screamed until vapors from the soft web lulled her into unconsciousness. As Auron and Jecht burst onto the scene, they realized they were too late, and guessed some of what happened from the fiends appearance, and the stray silk webbing everywhere. A small bundle was being carried into a dark crevice, and so Auron plunged forward, leaving Jecht, who did not have his sword.  
  
He followed it as far as he could, until finally coming across the main chamber, which had many such bundles strung everywhere. Auron hid, and watched as the spider-dragon attached Braska's to somewhere close to the floor. Jecht stumbled after him.  
  
"You BAKA! What're you doing in here?" Auron berated him.  
  
"I'll distract it. You get Braska out of there. GO. NOW!" Jecht ran towards it, bringing its attention away from Braska, and across the room. He led it on a merry chase, always just out of reach, until he led it away from the room. Auron darted in, and cut open the cocoon made of silk, and freed Braska. She was unconscious, but breathing, which was a good sign. Auron was sure that if she had remained there any longer, she would've suffocated. Away from the source of her sleep, she began slowly to wake up.  
  
"Auron....? Jecht...Where?" she murmured into his chest.  
  
"Distracting it. We have to get out of here."  
  
"AH! SHIT! WATCH OUT, IT'S COMING FOR YOU!" Jecht yelled, just before the gigantic fiend burst back into the room, furious that its latest prize was being stolen away by this...Manthing. Braska turned her face into his okinawan, and didn't look at it, knowing that she would again panic if she did. Suddenly, the fiend did something unexpected. It spit its poison at them. Auron felt it seeping into his body, slowing his nerves, and spreading very quickly. He felt Braska lighten a little, and realized she'd been hit, as well, and the same was happening to her.  
  
Using the last of his strength, Auron got them both to safety, before the poison made his body give up. The fiend roared in anger, but did not follow them. Braska looked up at him, tears in her eyes.  
  
"I never told you I loved you, Auron......" She closed her eyes, and the breath settled from her body. He knew she was dead. Her final words echoed in his mind. He leaned up against the wall, and gathered her into his arms.  
  
"I love you to, Braska...My Braska-sama..." His eyes closed a final time, and he joined her in death.  
  
Jecht realized he was screwed. Royally. The damned spider thing had trapped him against the wall with its damned come, and he couldn't move. He had a vague sense of what was happening with Auron and Braska, as he heard their voices faintly, just loud enough for him to make out what they said, and suddenly, he couldn't sense them anymore. It took a few moments for the realization to settle in, the realization that they had been killed, and he was probably next. After letting out a few choked sobs, he said his goodbyes, and waited for the fiend to come back.  
  
It might've been an hour....It might've been a year. Time was lost on the trapped Jecht, as he thought of his life. His son...His beautiful wife....Zanarkand...Spira, and Braska's wife, before she died, and his little girl, Yuna, who would grow up without her parents. Jecht knew that feeling. He himself was an orphan. It was why he threw himself so completely into blitzball. To make the parents he never had proud of him. He hoped she would make it Ok. His thoughts turned to his own child, Tidus, who hated him. Their last words were spoken in anger...The last thing Tidus had ever said to him was "I hate you dad...I wish you would just go away forever...!" Well, Tidus got his wish...Jecht would never be returning to Zanarkand again.  
  
Finally, when Jecht was sure he was gonna die of thirst, the fiend came back. It didn't look to happy, and Jecht's dehydrated brain laughed at it. Couldn't find them, could ya..? Ya stupid sonof abitch, you killed them, then you couldn't FIND them! He realized he was shouting it out loud at it as it came closer.  
  
"YOU COULDN'T FIND THEM!! YOU STUPID SON OF A BITCH! YOU KILLED THEM!!!"  
  
Jecht saw its mandibles working feverishly, and knew his time was up.  
  
Bye Tidus..I'm sorry I wasn't a better father...I loved you, Miriamele...I'm sorry I couldn't say goodbye...Yuna..Grow up, and be strong, just like your daddy was, OK? Yevon...Watch over them all...  
  
The spider sank its dripping fangs into him, and he died instantly. Back at Bevelle Temple, the high priest knew instantly what had happened. He himself went out and did a sending for the lost Summoner and his two Guardians.  
  
The spider dragon feasted on the empty shell that was left, as the pyreflies rose all around it.  
  
All of Spira recognised the masses of pyreflies that were taking to the skies as the Sending done by the High Summoner. Those who knew what had happened told those who didn't, and all of Spira cried for the  
  
Three who were Gone.  
  
  
  
  
  
This is based on a side story I'm kinda writing, a crossover between Braska's pilgramige, and Ranma ½. Braska (obviously) turns into a girl, Auron into a black cat and Jecht into a small black piglet with a bandanna around its neck. Neither Ranma nor the characters from FFX belong to me. Miriamele (Jecht's wife) was created by me.  
  
Akiko Manami 


End file.
